Giovanni Calabria was born in Verona, Italy on 8 October 1873 as the youngest of seven sons to Luigi Calabria and Angela Foschi. His mother was taught by
Nicola Mazza. His education was interrupted due to the death of his father in 1882 and it was around this time that the rector of San Lorenzo Pietro Scapini saw Calabria's potential and became his private tutor in order to prepare him for the examination that would determine if he could commence his studies for the
priesthood. The death of his father saw him drop out of school to become an apprentice. He entered but was forced to drop out due to service with the armed forces where he converted fellow soldiers and was known for his faith and show of devotions. One cold night in November 1897 he returned home from the hospital where he was visiting the ill to find a child on his doorstep who told him that he was fleeing those who would beat him. Calabria took him in and shared his room with him. In 1898 he founded the "Charitable Institution for the assistance to poor sick people" and started homes for abandoned teens. Calabria was
ordained as a priest on 11 August 1901 and was then appointed as a confessor and also the curate of Saint Stephen's church. He became the rector of San Benedetto del Monte also in 1907. On 26 November 1907 he founded the "Poor Servants of Divine Providence" in Case Rotte and it relocated in 1908 to Via San Zeno. It received diocesan approval on 11 February 1932 from the
Bishop of Verona Girolamo Cardinale and then the decree of praise on 25 April 1949 before receiving full pontifical approval on 15 December 1956 from
Pope Pius XII. Bartolomeo Bacilieri who suggested to him that he look into starting a female branch of the institute. On 17 April 1910 he established the Poor Sisters Servants of Divine Providence. The first members of that congregation made their vows on 13 December 1911 and appointed Maria Galbraith (1874–1917) as the first superior of the order. It received diocesan approval on 25 March 1952 before receiving papal approval decades later on
Christmas in 1981. He had a great friend and admirer in anti-fascist Venerable Giulio Facibeni. On 8 September 1943 - during
World War II - helped hide the Jewish doctor Mafalda Pavia near Verona among his female congregation; the doctor assumed the name of Sister Beatrice and spent eighteen months there while disguised as a sister. Calabria also corresponded in
Latin with the noted author
C.S. Lewis, both in Latin as he knew no English. Calabria died on 4 December 1954 and on 3 December offered himself to
God to die in the place of the ill Pius XII. The pope rallied and learned of Calabria's death and sent an official telegram of condolence. ==Sainthood==